Beyond The Cover With…
““But most importantly, write the story YOU want to write and let it resonate with the readers who were meant to find it.”
Some stories begin with a carefully planned outline. Others begin as daydreams that quietly follow us through life until we’re finally ready to give them a home on the page.
For indie author Rachae Stevens, writing began long before she ever imagined herself becoming a novelist. From screenplays and business ventures to motherhood and rediscovering her love of reading, her journey eventually led her to the world of contemporary romance — and to the stories she shares with readers today.
Today we will go Beyond The Cover with Rachae Stevens, where she will take us behind the pages of Tell Me Something Real, share what she loves most about the writing process, talk honestly about the realities of being an indie author, and give us a peek at what’s currently on her TBR.
Tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey.
“As a lifelong daydreamer, I never imagined when I was younger that I’d ever do anything with the stories in my head. If I did let my mind go there, I kind of always thought I’d write screenplays. In fact, that’s what I did in my 20’s while I was pursuing other business ventures. I played around with writing screenplays as a side hobby — a creative outlet. Fast forward many years later, after I became a mom and I’ve been in the trenches of babies and toddlers for what felt like a century, I made the decision to pick up a book for the first time since before my oldest had been born (he was 7 at the time). To nobody’s surprise, I quickly became a voracious reader and began to dream about trying my hand at writing my own stories as novels instead of screenplays. And the rest is history.”
Tell us about your latest book.
“Tell Me Something Real is the story of Hannah, a runaway bride, who flags down the handsome, tattooed stranger outside the hotel for help in making her escape. Rowan doesn’t hesitate. They spend one unforgettable night together that ends with Rowan waking up alone. He returns to his military life on base while Hannah returns home to pick up the pieces of her failed engagement. Five years later, Rowan’s back in town to settle his grandfather’s estate after his recent passing when he crashes into a beautiful woman on the sidewalk. Neither of them ever expected to see each other again. But timing and circumstances have never been on their side, it seems. He’s only in town for two weeks and she’s bearing the burden of watching her mother battle a terminal cancer diagnosis. Some call it right person, wrong time and some say it’s a second chance romance. No matter how you slice it, Hannah and Rowan are what fated mates would look like if it existed in the contemporary romance world. Despite circumstances beyond their control and the looming expiration date of their time together, they find comfort and healing in one another. Through the trenches of trauma and grief, they find hope and joy in each other and in the beautiful world around them. TMSR is about the invisible strings, the unexplainable things and the forces that tether us to the people meant to be in our lives. It’s a story that’s certain to make you shed some tears (okay, maybe a lot of tears) but will leave you feeling immensely hopeful.”
If your book were a person, how would you describe its personality?
“She’s a little needy, loves a good ugly cry but only when she knows things are going to work out in the end. Her humor is also her coping mechanism for, well…everything. When things feel too heavy, she cracks a joke.”
What’s your favorite part of the writing process?
“The first round of self-edits is my absolute favorite part. Getting the first draft down can be hard, but going back to the beginning and rediscovering the characters and the story, polishing and perfecting each line — it’s where most of the magic happens for me.”
Do you outline everything or discover the story as you go?
“I’m in the middle somehwere. Some call us plantsers. I have a rough outline of my characters, who they are, and where I want their story to begin, middle and end. And I have a number of specific scenes planned in my mind. But line to line, chapter by chapter, I generally let the characters guide me.”
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned as an indie author?
“As much as writing stories is a passion and creative outlet, publishing books is a business. The pressure and daily grind of marketing myself/my books can be exhausting if I don’t put healthy limitations and boundaries into place. Also, criticism is a hard pill to swallow, but a necessary one to develop and improve as a writer. And finally, without the small circle of close indie author friends I’ve surrounded myself with to bounce ideas off of, share struggles and successes with, I could never survive this industry.”
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to publish their first book?
“Write the book. Then edit. And edit it again. Read and reread it. A good editor is a critical piece of the publishing puzzle — invest accordingly. And no matter what anyone else says, people judge a book by its cover so you need to be prepared to invest there too. But most importantly, write the story YOU want to write and let it resonate with the readers who were meant to find it.”
What are you currently reading?
“Currently re-reading the Crescent City series to prepare for the new ACOTAR books coming this fall!
Where can readers find your books and follow your journey as an author?
“You can find me on IG, TikTok, Threads, and Facebook @rachae.stevens.author . My books are all available on Kindle Unlimited and in ebook and paperback on Amazon as well as major online retailers ( Barnes & Noble, etc.). Signed paperbacks and swag can be purchased from me directly via my website www.rachaestevens.com”
What book do you wish you could read again for the first time?
“It’s hard to choose just one, but the King’s Men duet by Kennedy Ryan is one of my favorite stories with my favorite MCs of all time. Pretty sure reading it the first time completely changed my brain chemistry. Boys of Tommen by Chloe Walsh is another series that lives in my bones and I would give my left arm to read again for the first time. And The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a book I think about A LOT.”
And the story doesn’t end there. Readers can look forward to Book Two in Rachae’s The Runaway series, coming Spring 2027. Until then, there’s plenty of time to discover Tell Me Something Real and follow Rachae’s journey as she continues bringing new stories to life.
Thank you, Rachae Stevens, for giving readers a glimpse into the author, the journey and the story behind the pages.
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